Sesshomaru's One Kind Act
by 246Nakuro
Summary: When Sesshomaru sees his brother make a terrible mistake he's not sure exactly how to fix it. He does however know he has to. But he'll soon find out that respect and friends go a long way to being useful. Warning: This will be a bit of a tearjerker.
1. Chapter 1

Sesshomaru's One True Kind Act

By 246Nakuro

Summary: WARNING: This will be a bit of a tearjerker.

Chapter 1

Sesshomaru watched from the shadows as Inuyasha made the wish on the jewel that would forever seal his fate. As Inuyasha's eyes flashed to red then gold, then red and stayed that way. He turned and started to run off transforming into a grey dog and rushed towards Kyede's village. Sesshomaru hated to see just what his brother had become but rushed after him.

Right now, he needed to focus on protecting the village, not his brother. He ran using his demonic speed and stood in front of the village ready to fight. People rushed out of their huts to see why there was a demon seemingly protecting them. Suddenly the newly full demon Inuyasha rushed at the village and was tackled to the ground by this new demon.

This caused everyone to scream and rush into their huts. Everyone that was, except for Kagome. She walked out just as Sesshomaru was thrown hard into a tree. She winced as she heard the SNAP of his leg breaking. But he didn't have time to worry about his now shattered leg; he had to fight Inuyasha off. Suddenly a priestess Arrow cut through the air effectively silencing the two demons for a time. Kagome didn't know why Sesshomaru was protecting the village, but he needed help and she was willing to offer it.

Inuyasha fearing Kagome would purify him after he just became a full demon and took off running. Sesshomaru turned and growled at Kagome. He hadn't needed a human's help. And definitely not a priestess' help. He ran over to her keeping his injured leg safe. Kagome gulped and prepared to fire another arrow but the bow was knocked out of her hand breaking her wrist at the swipe of Sesshomaru's massive paw.

Then Sesshomaru sighed and walked off. It was bad enough that he was hurt, the last thing he needed was to see how Kagome reacted when she knew the truth. He rushed to his castle only to find everyone dead. Rin, and Jaken were torn apart and their body parts were scattered around the ground. Sesshomaru vowed to kill whoever had done this, when he had to dodge a priestess' arrow and his now demon turned brother.

Sesshomaru glared but knowing with his wounded leg that he would be unable to fight took off running fighting tears as he heard Inuyasha howl, claiming his castle as his brother's own. He ran for a long time and collapsed on the ground miles from his home, alone, and lost. He wanted death to claim him; it would take all this pain away.

Kagome had been worried about Inuyasha for a while now. He had been gone for much longer than he ever had before. She had given up on loving him about two years ago but saw him as her younger brother and therefore her protector. She excused herself from the pregnant Sango, Miroku, and their three kids. She grabbed her bow and arrows and headed out.

She was even more concerned when it started to get dark and pulled out her flashlight. To her shock she did find a dog demon but it wasn't Inuyasha. As she moved the flashlight over the white dog body with white semi floppy ears she gasped realizing it was Sesshomaru. She quickly rushed back to the modern era and asking her mom for help, got the required things for a high trauma surgery. Then she rushed over to the feudal era and over to the badly injured dog demon.

Sesshomaru awoke drowsy and in pain, as he looked at his injured leg he was shocked to find it cut and sewn after a drastic surgery. How hadn't he felt this? Usually surgeries were painful and he had to fight not to growl and howl at the pain felt. But he hadn't felt anything, no pain, no cutting, nothing. What had happened? He heard someone coming though the bushes and growled trying to jump onto his leg and tripping, then landing hard on his non injured side. He stared at the plastic like thing around his leg that prevented it from moving at all.

"Hey easy. Don't want to rebrake that leg do you?" Kagome asked him slowly and softly. "Unfortunately though you'll have to stay in demon form until it heals."

Sesshomaru looked over at her with the normal cold face and eyes. "How come I didn't feel this drastic surgery?"

Kagome gasped and looked embarrassed, she hadn't thought of how to answer that question. "Well uhm…" She sighed and pulled out the first aide kit that had held what she had used. "I used these."

She opened the box and let him look at it. He pulled his nose away almost instantly; the smell burned his nose and made the fur on the back of his neck stand on end. The smell was like poison and so he assumed it to be that.

"You poisoned this Sesshomaru?!" He growled at her furiously.

"No! This is medicine. From where I'm from." Kagome told him quickly. "It's what I gave you to keep you asleep during the surgery so you wouldn't feel pain."

Sesshomaru growled and took another sniff only to pull back. "It smells horrible and burns this Sesshomaru's nose."

"Yeah." Kagome responded with a sigh. "It doesn't smell great but it's sterile, so… that's good. Anyway, what happened? Why were you out her all alone?"

Sesshomaru's eyes fell as he remembered what had led him to this point, the sadness hit hard, but he placed on his icy mask before Kagome could even realize his mask had fallen. "This Sesshomaru was beaten."

Kagome frowned and upon taking a step towards Sesshomaru to offer him comfort received a growl and he attempted to stand again, the speed making him land hard once again. Kagome sighed but took a step back, with his injury she didn't want to push it.

"Well… Why don't you join me and the others at Kyede's hut, we have room."

Sesshomaru looked at her like she was insane. 'How can I follow you when I can't walk?'

Kagome smiled lightly. "Want me to show you? I'd have to touch you."

Sesshomaru glared at her but made no move to stop her as she helped him to stand. To his shock the thing surrounding his leg, not only helped his balance slightly, but he could limp on his broken leg with little pain. He limped after her for a few minutes stiff baffled by this thing's strength and ability to help him.

"What is this?" He finally asked but Kagome didn't even look at him as she answered.

"A cast."

"What's a cast?"

"It's a mixture of cloth, glue, and water."

"Cloth, glue, and water?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"Well when the glue dries and the water evaporates-" Kagome looked back at his raised eyebrow and explained. "When the water becomes the air, the cloth is very hard and strong."

They continued on in silence.

Meanwhile with Inuyasha and Kikyo.

Inuyasha growled at the servants loving how they feared him. He'd only been here for a few days and he loved it. He couldn't begin to understand why Sesshomaru had ever left. No matter with Rin and Jaken gone and killed, he would commit suicide sooner or later. He loved how rich he was and started to kill the servants that angered him in anyway, increasing their fear of him and therefore his version of respect.

One thing that bothered him though was that no one could tell were Sesshomaru was. They couldn't find him. Inuyasha liked to play games but hated how boring it got after a while and as such insisted that the death penalty be given to anyone who lost to him. But if he were to lose to someone, the servants wondered would the death penalty apply to him?

Daichi, Sesshomaru's top servant, and unfortunately Inuyasha's servant for the time being, started to look into things involving Sesshomaru, Rin, and Jaken. But Inuyasha attempted to stop that by threatening death. While Daichi was afraid to die he was more worried about his master. Inuyasha might have tried to attack him and come across as his master but the dragon demon was not only Sesshomaru's lead servant, but also his best friend. Daichi figured he OWED Sesshomaru to figure out a way to find him.

Meanwhile with Kagome and Sesshomaru.

Kagome and Sesshomaru had been walking for three days to get back to Kyede's. Why were they so slow, because Kagome refused to let Sesshomaru push himself and forced him to take it easy. Seeing as how she had saved his life, by demonic law he had to obey her. Even if half the time he wanted to bite her head off. By the time they arrived Sango had had her fourth child and was shocked upon seeing what had taken Kagome so long to arrive.

"Kagome? What in the world?" Sango asked as Kagome came out of the woods and gasped and the dog demon following behind her in a blight blue cast. "Lord Sesshomaru?"

"He was beaten and-"

"It's just Sesshomaru now." He interrupted Kagome who looked at him shocked.

"You never told me that!" Kagome growled at Sesshomaru.

"You never asked." He retorted coldly. "Now if you'll excuse me I'd like to be alone." He told Sango with his same cool voice before turning to Kagome and growling loudly at her. "Or am I not allowed to do that?"

Kagome was aggravated, all she had tried to do was help him and he had treated her like she was so beneath him ever since he woke up. "Fine! Get out of here!" She yelled at him and he limped off.

"Come on Kagome." Sango told her friend helping her inside the hut. "Maybe losing his title made him have a short fuse."

Sesshomaru looked at the water but didn't want to drink, hell he didn't want to live. Anything but life would be better right now. He had nothing. No one to protect, no one to ask for help, no alliances. Nothing. He was completely alone in the world and he hated it. He should have been the one to die, not Rin and Jaken. True they were annoying as all get out but they were his pack. Now he didn't have a pack anymore. He was on his own. And for a dog that's naturally a pack animal, being alone made him feel worse.

Once Miroku heard Kagome's story the monk walked outside and over to Sesshomaru who was sitting in the grass his head down looking at the water but his gaze was far away and not really there.

"Well…" Sesshomaru's gaze snapped back to reality and he turned to growl at the monk. "You've had quiet the day. But I know you're not selfish enough to turn on anyone without a reason. So why'd you really snap at Kagome?"

"I've had a long day."

"Haven't we all? That still doesn't answer my question."

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"Alright. For now I concede, only because you're injured and need to rest according to Kagome, but I'll be back and one way or another Lord Sesshomaru, you will tell me." Miroku stood to get up and heard Sesshomaru mumble.

"Just Sesshomaru."

He looked back at the dog that was looking off into the distance. "You'll always be a lord to me."

Sesshomaru watched as Miroku walked back to the hut and a small smile grazed his features. It was nice to know, someone saw him as a lord even if he wasn't one anymore. He saw the sun setting and fought not to howl his pain to the world. If he wished to survive any amount of time, he had to fight his instincts. He didn't think he would be getting any sleep when he felt someone touch his head. He looked over to his right and into the smiling face of the monk. Tired and weaker than normal he made no move to get the monk to remove his hand.

"Can't sleep?" Sesshomaru didn't answer him but just looked out at the river he was in front of. "I can stay up with you if you'd like."

"Don't you have pups that need you?" Sesshomaru asked him and saw him nod.

"Yes. But you need someone to stay with you and I know Kagome would be angered if I asked her, therefore the girls can care for the kids tonight."

At this Sesshomaru turned his eyes to face Miroku. "Really?"

"Oh yeah. Everyone takes care of the kids here. It makes it easier if the mom and dad aren't the only ones to care for kids. They can get a bit rambunctious as I'm sure you know."

"Yeah." Sesshomaru smiled weakly remembering how he loved having Jaken, and Ah – Un, and Daichi look after Rin. "They can be a handful."

"No kidding." Miroku chuckled noticing Sesshomaru's smile but not bringing attention to it. "I have four of them and they can run me ragged but when it's over and it's done they are so worth the anger and frustration."

Sesshomaru thought back on Rin how she often annoyed him with her constant chatter and games and flower crowns, but he had learned to love her. Her and all her odd quirks. He cried tears of pain and sadness and cried and cried, and to his shock Miroku didn't berate him telling him he couldn't cry but just hugged him and offered comfort.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

With Inuyasha and Kikyo

He couldn't understand it. It had been two months where the HELL was Sesshomaru's body?! And not to mention the fact that most of the servants were treating him like shit. He was starting to want to kill the whole household and buy new servants with his amazing quantity of money. Come to think of it why wasn't he? Hell he was so shocked at not thinking of this sooner that he rushed to call a servant. But no one came, curious he went looking for the servants intent on killing them himself for not rushing to his aide, but after three floors of nothing he was confused.

Daichi hurried the servants out of the castle and when everyone was out pups, mothers, and fathers. He quickly headed off making sure to protect them. While having a pack went against Daichi's very nature he knew that Sesshomaru would not be pleased if he abandoned them. To Sesshomaru they were his pack so he did the very thing he hated. Watching and making sure the pack kept up. He couldn't fly or give away their position to the no doubt blood thirsty Inuyasha.

With Sesshomaru and Kagome.

Sesshomaru had learned to see Miroku not only as a father in need of help and respect but as a friend. They had quickly become close and while his depression still nagged at him occasionally, a talk about Miroku's family and past life sent it to the back of his mind. But after two months Kagome insisted the cast had to come off. Sesshomaru had learned that while he didn't LIKE Kagome he had learned to trust her judgment when it came to wounds and lay on the ground to let her remove the cast.

But one thing above all else bothered him. His pack of servants had probably been killed like Rin and Jaken. Luckily this small pack had not asked about them probably because as they got close to this growling would rise and they'd leave it alone. It still bugged him to no end that he had failed to protect his charges. To his shock once the cast came off the fur had already started to grow back and the small place where he had been cut was a scar. The size of it shocked him. It wasn't large. He'd had surgery before but not by Kagome, the wound was small.

"There, you look all better. However due to your leg being in the cast it will be a little weak for a little while as you haven't had a lot of weight on it for a long time." Kagome told Sesshomaru with a smile.

"This Sesshomaru can walk?" He asked her and she nodded yes.

"Though I would suggest that for a few days at least you walk in that form due to the fact you have a better chance of catching yourself with three legs rather than one."

Sesshomaru nodded then his ears became alert and he stood up quickly with a growl. "I know you're out there. Show yourself!" He snapped at the forest.

To Kagome and the others shock a dragon demon walked out of the forest but looked back and to Sango's shock not it's kids but at a pack of all species of demons. Sesshomaru limped over to him feeling what Kagome had meant by weak but wanting nothing more than to shove his friend to the ground in his version of a hug. Daichi had been so focused on the pack that he didn't see Sesshomaru until the last second.

Daichi smiled as he was thrown to the ground and took into the air lowly to bite Sesshomaru's ear. Kagome thinking Sesshomaru was under attack rushed to his aide as he flung his paw at the golden dragon that dodged. But just as the dragon was going to continue its greeting and it growl/yelped and landed. Sesshomaru turned to Kagome and smacked the bow and arrow out of her hand with a growl, pinned his ears forward, tail up and straight as a board. Kagome backed off as Sesshomaru had told her that when a dog did that he was intending to attack and kill.

"What are you doing here Daichi?" He turned to the dragon who bowed his head.

"We came looking for you my Lord." He responded

"I'm not a Lord. My crown was taken from me."

"You'll always be a Lord to us." Upon saying this, the dragon looked back at the thousand demons.

"You brought them all?" Sesshomaru asked incredulous.

"As many as were alive. You know who killed half of us."

"But that's not in a dragon's nature." Sango said walking towards the dragon and dog.

"No. That's true. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't have to fight myself to protect them, but it IS a dog's nature, and I owe My Lord."

Sesshomaru couldn't believe what Daichi had done. Fought his very nature to protect those that were alive and would help him. For the first time that he could remember upon seeing his servants and Daichi his tail wagged. When Daichi saw this he gasped.

"My Lord?"

"You don't know how happy I am to see you guys. That I still have a good past."

"Past? My Lord where are Rin and Jaken?" Kagome and everyone looked at each other when Sesshomaru's tail came to a halt and sagged as his head fell. "My Lord?"

"Their gone." Sesshomaru finally told the group and everyone looked at him in shock or confusion.

"Gone? What do you mean gone? They went to a different village?"

"You could say that." Sesshomaru looked away and back at the river. "This Sesshomaru failed to protect them and they went to the netherworld."

At this everyone gasped and lowered their heads, the wounds painful to them but not nearly as painful as Sesshomaru who still blamed himself. He limped over to the river again while everyone grieved the loss of a child who had only just begun to live and a loyal servant. Everyone except Kagome. She understood pain and loss and how much help it was to have someone at your side. No wonder Miroku and Sesshomaru had become fast friends.

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked him and he looked at her with a small frown.

"Yeah?" He growled at her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know about… well you know."

Sesshomaru looked back at the river as if she had bored him. "No one did."

"I mean… I didn't mean to treat you so bad that first week."

At this Sesshomaru was struck confused. "You treated this Sesshomaru badly?"

"Yes. And I apologize."

"This Sesshomaru hadn't noticed." He responded looking back at the river with his same emotional less tone.

At this Kagome looked at him confused. "Hadn't noticed? I yelled at you practically every day for NOT telling me what really caused your wound."

"All normal healer things, nothing rude."

"But I tried to learn about your past and force it out of you."

"Again, normal healer."

"Didn't it bother you?"

"Used to it."

"That's not what I asked."

Sesshomaru looked over at Kagome confusion in his eyes. "This Sesshomaru doesn't know. This Sesshomaru is so used to it, this Sesshomaru has never thought if it bothers his person or not."

Kagome looked down at the ground and felt horrible. Sesshomaru had done nothing but listen to her complain and order him to tell her stuff he didn't want to and he put up with it because he was 'used to it'. What kind of friend let alone healer had she become? She fell to the ground and cried, this wasn't who she wanted to become, and this was quite the opposite. Sesshomaru looked back at the weeping girl.

"Save your tears Kagome." Sesshomaru ordered her. "You're in for a shock that might make you cry harder." Upon saying this he turned and faced Daichi. "What is it?"

Kagome turned around to see the dragon demon sit down on a nearby log. "We need to take back the castle of the west. Inuyasha is destroying it."

"That's impossible!" Kagome voiced up quickly defending her friend. "Inuyasha would never destroy something he wanted or wasn't his."

"Actually Kagome, it is his." Kagome looked at Sesshomaru in confusion. "The Inuyasha you knew is not the same Inuyasha that's around now."

"Well even if that's true he's not destroying the castle." Kagome denied firmly.

"So you're saying you want Rin and Jaken's deaths not avenged?" Sesshomaru told her with a slight glare.

"Rin…" Kagome felt a lump in her throat and fought to swallow.

"Inuyasha tore her limb from limb and scattered her pieces around the ground. Jaken too. Still believe the Inuyasha you knew is the Inuyasha that is here now?" Kagome gulped louder and looked away. "Didn't think so." He turned towards Daichi. "We'll have to wait a small while. I can barely walk right now let alone fight."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

Sesshomaru had healed for two more days before he and Daichi started to work on fighting each other. Kagome came running out as Sesshomaru was flung into a tree snapping the tree. She rushed over to Daichi to yell at him.

"Hey! Be gentle!" She yelled at the dragon.

"I was." Daichi told her slightly confused.

"Throwing him into a tree is gentle?!"

"I judged the distance, took that into account and was careful how much power I used. He's fine. See?"

Daichi pointed at Sesshomaru who was now standing and walking over to Kagome and him. Kagome gasped and frowned at Sesshomaru.

"You're supposed to be taking it easy! Your leg could break again. It's not going to EVER be as strong as it once was and-"

"Silence yourself Kagome." Sesshomaru told her calmly and sternly. "This Sesshomaru is fine and IS taking it easy. But this Sesshomaru will never be able to fight if he doesn't practice."

Kagome sighed. "Fine. But don't come crying to me if your leg gets broken again."

Kagome started to walk away when she heard Daichi. "This is great and all but our main problem isn't Inuyasha but his mate."

Kagome stopped and looked back at the two demons. "True, that priestess nearly killed this Sesshomaru last time she met him."

"Priestess?" Kagome's voice quivered.

"Yes, Kagome. Priestess." Sesshomaru told her looking at her and her swaying form.

Kagome felt sick, Inuyasha had mated the clay pot that wanted to steal her soul away from her. Her best friend had become a blood thirty monster that wanted to kill everyone and everything. This whole thing was to much and her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fainted. Sesshomaru grabbed her by the shirt to prevent her from smacking her head on the rocks then Daichi and Sesshomaru helped keep Kagome on Sesshomaru's back before they arrived at Kyede's hut and her friends carried her inside.

"My Lord?" Daichi asked as they headed back to the training area.

"Yes Daichi?" Sesshomaru responded half listening.

"Your very protective of that girl. Is it because you see her as Rin?"

"No Daichi this Sesshomaru doesn't. Demonic Lord law is so ingrained in this Sesshomaru's brain he's unable to not follow it."

"Yes I know that but there's really no reason to protect her even in demon law."

"Wrong Daichi. That priestess saved this Sesshomaru's life. She choose to keep this Sesshomaru alive for some reason or another. I owe her this Sesshomaru's life, and therefore a debt that means saving her at all costs. You should know that." Sesshomaru turned to glare at the dragon firmly and coldly.

"Forgive me my lord. I was unaware." The dragon bowed low and deep apologizing for not trusting his lord's judgment.

Kagome awoke surrounded by her friends and confused. Last she remembered she was fainting next to Daichi and Sesshomaru. What had happened after that? When she looked out the window she noticed it was late. The moon was high in the sky and all of Sango and Miroku's kids asleep. She stood up slowly thanking her friends and went out to find Sesshomaru she took no more than two steps outside and saw him.

Sitting next to the door seemingly protecting the hut from everything. Kagome was shocked. Why was Sesshomaru of all people protecting her?

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked him and he nodded slowly then stood up and walked away with not another word.

Kagome watched him go and felt her heart flutter and gripped her chest. No. She'd fallen for his half-brother and that had only ended her with a broken heart, she wasn't going to fall for him as well. She was done with love. It was nothing but a double edged sword and she'd had enough of it to last five lifetimes. No, she was just grateful, grateful that Sesshomaru had protected her.

Sesshomaru looked into the river and growled at his reflection. No, he wasn't protecting her because he liked her, and certainly not because he loved her. He was simply protecting her because she was his pack. It was required that all those in his pack be protected. He'd learned early on that love was nothing but trouble, but even if that lesson hadn't been enough Inuyasha had taught it to him again. Love never did anything good, just took, took, took, and eventually shattered your heart leaving you behind to pick up the pieces.

The next couple of weeks everyone worked on training, even Miroku, and Sango as Kyede had promised to look after the kids while they were gone. Still Sesshomaru felt he was imposing on Sango and Miroku. They had been so kind to him, so friendly, and gave him a pack when he had none, he couldn't ask them to come with him. So after months of training and his leg healed he stayed outside under the pretense of protecting them for the night.

Once the pack was asleep he nudged Daichi and nodded telling him it was time. Once all the demons were awake and ready to follow him, he glanced back, once at the pack that had taken him in and made him a part of the pack without a second thought.

'Thank you.' He thought as he looked back. 'For everything. But this Sesshomaru can't have you risking your lives for him. He must go from here on, alone.'

That thought, he turned and ran off the rest of the servants following him in a heartbeat and without hesitation. They knew that death was bound to come for them, but they trusted their lord Sesshomaru to lead them to victory. No matter how bloody the battle would be. It would be one in which they won.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4: Found!**_

Sesshomaru and his group had run for hours and were getting tired. Meaning, sleep, was just around the bend. After a few more hours Sesshomaru told the group to rest and sleep. As he fell asleep that night he was confident he'd protected Kagome's little pack from danger and would be safe.

Kagome awoke and looked around confused. Where were Sesshomaru and the rest of the demons? The only ones here were Shippo, who had finished his fox demon training, and Kilala who was here to help fight with her newest owner, Kohaku. Kagome growled he had left; he and his little crew had left them. He might have been trying to protect her and all that bull shit, but she wasn't going to act as if she knew he had left without telling anyone. Maybe, however slim, he had told one of the others.

"Sango." Kagome whispered gently shaking her sister like friend's sleeping form.

"Huh?" She asked sleepily.

"Sango. Wake up." Kagome whispered lightly. "I'm sorry to wake you but have you by chance seen Sesshomaru or his little band of misfits?"

Instantly Sango was awake. Sesshomaru was gone?! Where'd he go? "No. I haven't seen him, or even know where he wandered off to."

Kagome's frown increased as she shook Miroku. "Miroku. Have you seen Sesshomaru?"

Miroku sat up, with the kids at Kyede's for now they had gotten a lot of sleep. "No I haven't."

Kagome asked around to all her friends but no one had seen him and as Sango and Miroku walked back to Kyede's to tell her they had to go and please take care of the kids, Kagome looked around for any sign of which direction they had gone. That was something she had always possessed, tracking abilities, but so few times did she get the chance to use them while looking for the Shikon Jewel. Inuyasha had always picked up on whatever direction they should be heading in before she could even voice her opinion.

The only time he had ever needed her help was to locate the Jewel Shards. She had enjoyed helping him but would have liked to have been able to use her tracking skills before now. And now that she thought about it, why did she care? It was Sesshomaru's life, if he wanted to get himself killed why did she want to stop him? Because she had seen him hurt and in pain, she had healed his wound, he had become part of her pack, and therefore she needed to chase after him. Weather he WANTED her to or not wasn't going to duture her.

Once they were following the tracks and flying low in order to spot them better Kagome frowned. "I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind when I find him!"

Sango and Miroku smiled and looked at each other. They hadn't heard that tone from Kagome in years. The tone of protection, which meant that she was seeing Sesshomaru as part of their group; and wanted nothing more than to ensure his safety. They continued walking for a while following the tracks. By morning they had found Sesshomaru and his group. Kagome quietly stomped over to Sesshomaru her hands on her hips and a glare on her face but as she looked at Sesshomaru sleeping her frown faded.

He was curled in a ball, tail between his legs, and every so often he would twitch as if trying to run away from something. He would wince and twitch more violently as he continued to sleep. Then he would still with a soft whine. Kagome then remembered just how he had abandoned her and her small pack and the anger inside her flared again. She no longer cared how he was sleeping, what he was feeling, she wanted answers. And her anger took what she knew and acted. Her foot in her shoe collided hard with his head. He yelped and jumped up, whacking her head with his, sending her sprawling to the ground.

"Ow." They said in unison as each rubbed the throbbing place they had been hit.

Sango and Miroku chuckled lightly even after Kagome was glaring at them. "That went well."

"Stop laughing you guys it's not funny!" Kagome snapped at her friends and that did it, their contained laughter came out in huge guffaws that made it hard to breathe.

Kagome sighed but stood up and waited for her friends to stop laughing so she could talk with Sesshomaru. At the point the laughing was done, everyone had been awaken.

"Why'd you just abandon us?!" Kagome screamed in his face and Sesshomaru kept his tone, cool and collected even though he wanted to yell back at her.

"That's none of your business."

"None of my business?! You abandoned us!"

"This Sesshomaru didn't abandon you. He-" Sesshomaru was stuck, how did he explain what he had done, or tried to do, and not abandoned them?

"We didn't – ow!" Daichi started but Sesshomaru shoved into him sending him falling hard to the ground.

"We didn't think you'd want to come." Sesshomaru told her then looked over at Sango and Miroku.

"And why wouldn't we want to come?!" Kagome snapped at him and he motioned towards Sango and Miroku with his head.

"It's a war, and this Sesshomaru can't guarantee that you will all survive. You should stay with your pups and stay alive."

Kagome frowned and looked back at Sango and Miroku then back at Sesshomaru who was walking away towards the end of a cliff and sat down at the edge his head down. Daichi sighed sadly causing Kagome to look at him confused.

"Daichi?"

"He's so sad lately. He feels everything up until this point is his fault and he needs to fix it. But it's not all his fault, and there was nothing else he could have done."

"What do you mean?"

Daichi sighed again and lowered his voice slightly. "Sesshomaru would like you to believe that he's this emotionless demon and has always been such… but he wasn't always like this. I should know."

"Why?" Kagome whispered.

"We grew up together. We used to play all the time. He was the brother I never had."

"Really?"

"Yeah. But then it all changed. Inuyasha came along and all the good we had shriveled up and died."

"What do you mean?"

"Once Inuyasha came along Sesshomaru wasn't angry, in fact he was eager to have a brother. He figured we could all play together and have fun doing it. However his mother, Inutashio's ex mate wasn't so happy. She started telling him lies, and beating him into submission. He came to me a few times, saying he wanted to run away, far away from his mom and this life, heck even his own body. So he revealed the truth to Inuyasha only when he was sure that his mother wasn't around, and treated him poorly if she was around. That's a hard thing for a five year old to take. He became confused, sad, and finally his heart became black. I didn't think he had a heart until a night a year later when his mother was planning to kill Inuyasha. He ran to me told me to watch the door and went to wake up Inuyasha and Izoyi. He helped them get away and told me to hide so I wouldn't get hurt. The next thing I knew I heard yelling and hiding in the bushes watched horrified as Sesshomaru's mother, Ezera, started attacking her only son. She wasn't lenient either. She went at him with her poison claws. His flawless face and body was coated in blood. It took him three months to recover but his skin was never the same. It got lighter and bore the scars of the assault in the form of the magenta markings on his face. His heart has been shattered and so he has placed up walls no one can break through. I lost my friend that day."

Kagome gasped and looked up at Sesshomaru who was standing next to them.

"Daichi?" He growled and the dragon frowned, closed, his eyes, and lay on the ground.

Sesshomaru swung, and Kagome gasped in horror as Daichi was sent flying into a tree which snapped and landed on him as he fell.

"Sesshomaru!" Kagome cried out and was about to even the playing field when he turned and growled at her loudly freezing her in her tracks.

"You're lucky this Sesshomaru doesn't hit girls, wench."

Kagome swallowed loudly as Sesshomaru walked away, and then ran over to Daichi. "Are you ok?" She asked him concerned. He nodded and Kagome watched in horror as he stood up. "Don't! Your wounds will open."

She told him quickly and he looked at her confused. "Wounds? What wounds?"

Kagome's eyes widened. He was right, what wounds? He had none, he had a few scratches and a few tiny cuts but they were already healing. She watched Sesshomaru as he lay on a tree seemingly asleep. He had been lenient; he hadn't hurt him badly just made a point. The same way she would when she told Inuyasha to sit. He had been treated poorly his whole life. Yet here he was treating others better than he had ever been treated.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5: 1**__**st**__** Meeting**_

Sesshomaru had been lying next to the tree for a little while then jumped to attention. Inuyasha was coming. FAST. Suddenly he was there in a cloud, of dust and BO. The only one who wasn't coughing was Sesshomaru, he was growling at Inuyasha who was growling back.

"Well I certainly didn't think you'd come back, being an ex-lord and having me beat the crap out of you before." Inuyasha laughed and Kagome's mouth fell open in shock, he wasn't like she remembered him at all.

"And we're not technically in your territory yet so you have no reason to attack us." Sesshomaru told him coolly and Kagome was struck at just how lord like he sounded.

Inuyasha growled and before Kagome could figure out what was happening Sesshomaru was dodging one of Inuyasha's lunges. Sesshomaru grabbed Inuyasha's scruff and sent him flying and Inuyasha reacted quickly and grabbed his paw. Sesshomaru growled but reacted in to time at all and pinned him to the ground his right front paw bleeding badly. Angry at being defeated so easily Inuyasha threw a punch at Sesshomaru sending him flying only Daichi started to run towards him.

"Stop!" Daichi and Inuyasha looked over at Sesshomaru with a bloody face and blood staining the grass beneath him. "This battle… is mine." He growled at Inuyasha and lunged at him and they hit each other with a BAM.

They continued to chase and run after each other drawing blood and gash after gash. The blood stained the meadow around them and Sesshomaru fell to the ground finally and Inuyasha chuckled then ran back to his castle leaving Sesshomaru to die. As the group stared at Sesshomaru bloody and torn apart on the ground Kagome walked over to him slowly, afraid he was dead. Daichi however rushed over to his side.

"Why'd you take it easy on him?! Why didn't you clobber him for what he did?!"

"You took it easy on him?" Kagome asked incredulous.

Sesshomaru looked away from them both and Daichi sighed. "You couldn't do it. Could you?"

"No." Sesshomaru responded and Daichi sighed.

"Then how are you gonna take back the west?! How-?"

"ENOUGH!" Sesshomaru growled at him and everyone took a step back, no one had ever heard Sesshomaru yell before. He was always so calm and collected… he never yelled. "You might think it's easy, but that's this Sesshomaru's brother. Killing him…. It just doesn't seem right."

That said he stood and walked off a small distance. Kagome watched him and slowly walked after him making sure she was not silent in her steps so as not to startle him.

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked and hated how her voice shook.

"Kagome." Sesshomaru replied and noticed her gasp loudly. "What?"

"You've… You've never said my name before."

"And I've never had a human stand up to me before therefore you've earned this Sesshomaru's respect, and therefore he shall call you by your given name."

Kagome smiled and gripped her chest as she felt her heart lurch, he hadn't let down his guard, or given her a hug, or kiss, but… he had told she was worthy of respect, and that had just made her day. "Hey Sesshomaru? Just… Thanks."

He nodded at her softly. She sat down in the grass and looked out at the sky.

"You know." Kagome sighed lightly. "If you want to talk I'm always open, but if you don't mind… I'd like to talk to you. You don't have to listen I won't feel bad, just might help me… you know… feel better." Sesshomaru glanced at her then back at the sky. "I… you were right. The Inuyasha I knew is long gone. The wound might hurt you but it's fresh for me. He used to be so kind, so…caring. "

At this Sesshomaru glanced back at her. "He was always a jerk, but knew when to back off."

"Exactly! He'd treat me like shit, but then I really needed him, I could count on him to be there. And now… he just doesn't want to do ANYTHING but be a pain in everyone's ass."

"I can relate."

Kagome stopped and stared at him shocked. He had used the word "I", she had never even knew, he knew the word. "You can?" She squeaked and slapped herself in the face mentally at how weak she sounded, how shocked.

"Yeah. I used to do the same thing. Everyone was always so willing to drop everything and pay attention to Inuyasha, but when I asked for a little attention myself, they would tell me. "Grow up. Stop being such a baby." Only my dad seemed to understand this, when I asked for attention he'd give me an entire day with just me and him doing something crazy. Like playing chase, or mock fighting, or teaching me how to use my demonic skills to protect myself. Or even how to think of my foes as corpses so it didn't scar me when I had to kill them."

Kagome smiled at him, he sounded so young, so full of life, as he relived his past. He sounded so happy, and his face revealed his emotions. He was smiling up a storm.

"I loved those days." He frowned and looked about to cry. "The days… where _**I**_ was the world, where I was something important, where nothing could take his attention away from me. The days where I was the king of dad's attention… if only for a day. I loved those days. The days where I meant the world, where I was important." Sesshomaru cleared his throat and quickly replaced his emotionless mask. "But so what? Those days are over."

Kagome wanted to hug him, but was afraid he'd lop her head off. His whole life since his dad's death, he felt the need to hide what he really felt. Protect his heart from being broken or shattered again. The more Kagome thought of it the more she wanted to cry. He was so broken already. So shattered. She had thought she had it tough, but he… he was completely on his own in a world that would kill you if you gave it even the slightest chance. He was forced to kill the one man who had been his father's second born and also his brother. Forced to kill the man he used to play with day after day because he had made the choice to make himself a full demon and a monster with a blood lust a mile wide.

She couldn't take it and lunged at him holding him tightly in a hug. Sesshomaru blinked, no one had hugged him for over five hundred years. Too afraid to touch him without his ok. Yet this woman just lunged at him, hugged him, unafraid of his claws or fangs. He looked down at her as she cried on his chest, quietly, but she was crying. He could feel the tears soak his Kimono top. He wrapped his arms around her hugging her back gently. Then unable to fight it, he cried with her. All the pain and horror and fear he had come out hard in those tears and he wanted nothing more than just to stay that way forever. To have the earth freeze over and for them to remain in each other's arms, comforting one another for all eternity.

Sesshomaru awoke with a yawn then wondered about the heat he felt on his right side. Looking over he was shocked to see Kagome lying next to him and his demon body curled around her to keep him warm. What shocked him even more was he felt at peace, and HAPPY that she was next to him, and he could protect her with his body. Looking around to ensure no one had seen he remembered everything she had done and said to help him. And how his mask had fallen and she brought attention to it in a way that simply conveyed she understood and cared about him.

He laid his head down next to hers and wrapping around her protectively he sighed. He admitted it. He liked her, saw her as part of his pack, and hoped to one day be able to call her mate. Yes. He loved her. He yearned for her. He wanted her to be his. But he was a demon and she was a human. He hadn't wanted to become weak like his father, but now that he knew what his dad had felt he realized it wasn't weakness to take a human mate but strength. Knowing one day you'd have to say goodbye to the only love of your life, and explain to your children that their mother had died because she wasn't a demon. That was real strength.

He fell asleep curled around her willing to protect her from anything and everything. Daichi woke up and yawned then looked over at Sesshomaru and smiled at the scent that greeted his nose.

"Just like your father." He whispered to himself then looked at the sky. "Are you seeing this Inutashio?" He looked back at Sesshomaru and Kagome. "Well done Kagome. Well done." He whispered and then stood and went to the river to drink.

Sesshomaru awoke to the sounds of someone drinking and looked over at Daichi who smiled back at him. Had it been anyone else he would have denied it, but this was Daichi, his self-adoptive brother. Sesshomaru gave a small smile back and lay back down guarding Kagome with a look of love and appreciation. Daichi sat down next to him and looked at Kagome with a small smile.

"She's going to keep you on your toes." Daichi whispered just loud enough for Sesshomaru to hear.

"Yeah. And I look forward to it." Sesshomaru whispered back licking her hair softly.

Kagome groaned and yawned then looked up and smiled confused. "Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru closed his eyes and looked at Daichi then back at Kagome. "I don't suppose you'd like to have this Sesshomaru court you?"

Kagome gasped and blushed a deep crimson then looked away. 'Inuyasha never asked that. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to accept.' She smiled and looked back at him in his bright red demon eyes. "I'd love that, my Lord."

She hugged him tightly and he hugged back shoving her close to his chest. Daichi smiled and watched the new boyfriend and girlfriend. Sesshomaru stood up and transforming back into his human form offered his hand to Kagome who smiled and took it then yelped at how quickly he pulled her up and caught her in his strong arms. Sango and Miroku walked out of the tent and looked at Kagome and Sesshomaru confused.

Kagome smiled and pushed back gently on Sesshomaru's chest and he released her and she ran towards Sango and Miroku, tripped over a rock and braced for hitting the ground when she felt something wrap around her waist and looking down saw Sesshomaru's whip of light around her waist helping her gain her balance again. She smiled and once she had her balance again she slapped the whip away and Sango and Miroku gasped as Sesshomaru laughed slightly.

Kagome pulled Sango and Miroku aside. "He asked to court me." She told them and they beamed at her.

"You said yes right?" Sango asked.

"Well… Not in so many words but… I think he understood." Kagome responded and was hugged tightly.

Sesshomaru growled as someone pulled on his tail hard and glared at a small scared half tiger demon. She had the scent of blood on her and Inuyasha. He nuzzled her gently then transforming into his full demon form grabbed the little cub of a demon not even a month old and therefore having no human form yet and followed the scent to a full tiger demon who lay in a pool of blood and the little cub wiggled. He set her down gently and she ran over to her mother and cried. Sesshomaru looked around and found the huge paw prints of a dog demon and sighed.

Inuyasha had done this. He grabbed the little tiger that hissed and squeaked at him, clearly unsure if he was friend or foe, or maybe a person who would care for her. He then started walking back to camp and everyone who had wondered where he was stared at him confused and shocked at the tiger demon cub he was carrying like his own pup. Everyone except, Shippo, and Kagome.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6: The Newest Pup**_

Kagome and Shippo walked over to Sesshomaru and Shippo watched his adoptive mom reach out her hands for the whining cub. Sesshomaru gently placed the cub in her arms and Kagome gently held her so she could hear her heartbeat. The cub stopped whining and yawned in her arms. Kagome smiled and hugged the now sleeping cub and Sesshomaru looked at the shocked faces.

"Say Hello to the newest member of our pack." He told the group and Shippo tugged on his sleeve.

"Does that mean I'm a big brother?" He asked Sesshomaru with a grin.

"Well that all depends." Sesshomaru told the fox demon looking over at Kagome.

"On what?"

"On whether or not your mom is willing to adopt another child."

Kagome smiled then chuckled lightly. "Of course. But every family member needs a name. What is hers gonna be?"

Everyone became silent and Sesshomaru frowned thinking that Kagome and the others would be angry at him but no other name seemed to fit her. "How 'bout Rin."

All the eyes went onto him, some, shocked, some disgusted, and Kagome's shone with love. "I think that sounds great."

Everyone looked at Kagome then sighed and headed off letting the cub follow at its own pace. What shocked everyone was that Sesshomaru would stop every few feet and look back to see where the cub was and if he needed to get her moving again. Everyone noticed he was starting to treat everyone nicer and the chip of ice on his shoulder seemed to be melting. As night fell Sesshomaru curled around Rin and Kagome who was holding Rin and Shippo as she fell asleep. Sesshomaru awoke hearing very quiet grunting and watched silently as Rin wiggled out of Kagome's hold carefully so as not to wake her and started running off.

"Rin?" She stilled upon hearing his strong masculine and velvet like voice. "Where do you think you're going?" Her head fell and she looked away, clearly thinking 'Busted.' Sesshomaru gave a light smile, yawned, stretched and walked over to her and lowered his head to her eye level. "Without an escort."

She gasped and grinned then rubbed against his front paws and neck purring before she took off running and Sesshomaru followed close behind her. He chuckled as she seemed to be trying to show him something then came to a stop in a graveyard and let him to a grave he knew all too well. She looked at him confused.

"Yeah." He whispered softly. "Yeah that was my father."

Rin looked at the grave and started squeaking and Sesshomaru smiled at her then picked her up by the scruff of the neck and about fifteen steps she was limp in his mouth. Asleep. He placed her in Kagome's arms and fell asleep curled around his new family. Sesshomaru awoke when Daichi hit him on the head with a punch. Growling he tackled the dragon and they rolled down the cliff getting a few good swats in before both landed on the ground growling. For a while they fought until the rest of the pack was awake. However as everyone ate breakfast Sesshomaru looked back at the land that was no longer his.

"Sesshomaru?" He looked back at Daichi. "I've been thinking… why don't you find a place to stay with Kagome, and your new found family. Why don't you just let Inuyasha die out then move in when he's gone? Create your own pack and family."

"Daichi. I can't." Sesshomaru responded looking back at his ex territory.

"But-"

"I understand." Kagome interjected and they both looked back at her, Daichi, wide-eyed, and Sesshomaru with a slight smile. "It's who you are. You NEED to attempt to take back your land. Even if you die in the process, it's your land. It's the last thing you have to remember your father by. And I'm going help you in any way I can."

Sesshomaru jumped back and growled at Inuyasha but Kagome responded quickly and rushed to grab her bow and arrows. Sesshomaru dodged Inuyasha's blows unable to find it in his heart to fight him. Rin wanting to help the demon who had saved her and who she saw as a father lunged at Inuyasha, grabbed his floppy ear and growled. Inuyasha annoyed with the little trouble maker shook his head hard, Rin when flying hard into a tree and fell down it completely knocked on conscious. Sesshomaru no longer cared who Inuyasha was just that he had hurt his pack and as such was intent to kill him.

His eyes flared red, he transformed quickly and lunged at Inuyasha, easily dodging his attack and sending him flying into a tree shatter twenty of them as he came to a landing. Before Inuyasha even had time for the world to stop spinning Sesshomaru had him pinned to the ground in the West territory his fangs deep into his neck. Inuyasha screamed as Sesshomaru sent him flying again, then again, and again. The whole rest of the day consisted of this fight and Sesshomaru clearly had the upper hand.

"Kill Rin!" Sesshomaru sent Inuyasha flying with each yell. "Harm my pup! Kill my loyal servants! Try to harm me to be mate! DAMN YOU!" The last yell resulted in a cry of pain from Inuyasha as Sesshomaru let the lifeless body hit the ground.

Now it was an all-out war, the servants Inuyasha had gotten had been loyal to him and as such Sesshomaru had to face off with at least twenty. It looked like the battle was in favor of Inuyasha's team.


End file.
